We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Natalie Hobock a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Natalie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What sort of legacy are you hoping to build. What do you think people will say about you after you are gone, what do you hope to be remembered for?

Although the answer to this question is simple, the achievement of such a legacy would be monumental:
I desire to make pivotal, positive differences in students’ lives like none other. I want to provide individuals the keys to unlock the pathway of literacy so that they can see the magic and power it holds. These keys also hold the power to enable students to become successful learners and develop well-deserved self-esteem. Many individuals come to me believing in their heart of hearts that they are “stupid” and cannot learn because they haven’t been taught in a way that they learn best. Once students are taught in a way that they learn best, they can achieve more success, which, in turn, lends itself to self-esteem. I want to be students’ biggest cheerleader, hold them accountable if need be, lead them to discover their true potential, and set them on the path to their own success.

Natalie, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I provide Orton-Gillingham-based/ Structured Literacy Academic Therapy or Structured Literacy Tutoring, which is very different from traditional tutoring, based on individual needs. Most of my students have language-based learning differences, such as dyslexia. The method of services I provide are effective for all individuals but are specifically needed for those with written-language disorders.
I am a Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT) and Reading Therapist, which means I possess extensive training and expertise that allows me to deliver instruction in a way that individuals with written-language disorders and literacy struggles learn best. Since dyslexia is neurological in origin, new neural pathways need to be formed for individuals to be remediated.

For successful remediation to occur, several things need to happen:
There needs to be a highly-trained specialist, an appropriate program needs to be used with fidelity (Orton-Gillingham-based, which is now termed Structured Literacy), there needs to be sufficient duration, it needs to be intense, and optimal results occur with early intervention.

A CALT provides:

• Clinically Diagnostic-Prescriptive Instruction – I start by administering assessments to gather information and request diagnostic evaluations if available. I use this information to form a beginning plan of intervention. Based on training and experience, I consistently observe instruction, monitor progress, and analyze assessments that I administer. I use this information to diagnose areas of needed support and strengths. Then, I use this information to prescribe appropriate instruction and tailor my lesson plans.

• Multisensory Structured Language Therapy Instruction that is Direct and Explicit- I provide instruction that simultaneously assimilates auditory, visual, and tactile modalities. Incorporating multiple modalities simultaneously provides optimal integration of learning to neural pathways. CALTs deliver instruction directly and explicitly. We assume nothing and break everything down. Instruction follows the structure of language.

• Intensive Instruction – Sessions occur multiple times a week over an extended period of time. CALTS deliver instruction in one-on-one or in small group settings. Instruction is systematic and cumulative. It follows the structure of the language system, reviews previous lessons consistently so that language is “overlearned,” and builds on previous concepts.

• Results – The domains of language (phonology, pragmatics, orthography, semantics, syntax, and morphology) are the “what” of instruction. These domains of language allow learners to become more skilled in areas of literacy, including oral and written expression, reading fluency, comprehension, and spelling (ALTA).

Although dyslexia is a lifelong condition, many individuals can read and spell very well with proper intervention!

Unfortunately, there are still many misconceptions and myths about dyslexia. One misconception is that people with dyslexia aren’t intelligent. Dyslexia is unrelated to intelligence. In fact, some of the greatest minds in history have dyslexia, such as Charles Schwab, Walt Disney, Leonardo Da Vinci, and countless others (Metro West Daily News). Their contributions to society cannot be underestimated.

My students consistently amaze me with their ingenuity, astuteness, intelligence, creativity, and multitude of strengths. For example, the student pictured in this article with written parent permission, Harley, is an out-of-the-box-thinker, artistically gifted, and catches on to small nuances that others in the room glean. I can teach a lesson, and she can point out something that her mother, father, and I all don’t realize, and there is a collective, “Ahhh!” Harley’s parents and I muse about how we didn’t even begin to think of something in that way. Seeing students capitalize on their strengths as their self-esteem develops is incredible.

Before founding Houston Dyslexia LLC, I worked in public and private school settings. The majority of my career was spent in private school settings that solely served students with diagnosed learning differences. Administrators and colleagues recognized my passion and dedication, so beyond my most important role in the classroom, I was also selected to serve in many leadership roles. I served as Team Leader in public and private schools, Head of Reading Curriculum Department, was nominated ESL Teacher of the Year, and Director of Summer Program to name a few of the many different positions I held.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

This is a lesson that I’m still unlearning, and it’s a delicate balance. I’m learning not to be a people pleaser, which may seem contradictory regarding education and business, but I’ve learned it’s actually not!
It was quite a learning curve from being within school systems and being expected to say “yes, yes, yes” to administrators, parents, etc., without a second thought. The “yes/people pleasing” attitude came with me naturally. I also think that this attitude has been expected of me at times since this is what is expected of educators by a lot of people. Many outstanding educators put in an extraordinary amount of time, energy, and effort into their work because it’s also a passion and calling.

I found out it’s a totally different ballgame when you are running a business. I was used to the long hours, but saying yes to everything was running me to the ground in a new way. I learned that the best me has to say no sometimes and set limits. Let’s take a small example: I discovered accepting multiple methods of payment means hours of more accounting. If you consider many different “small” factors, they add up quickly, and you waste a lot of time and energy. That time and energy is better spent when I have a sharper mind focused at matters such as highly-targeted instruction, parent meetings, and school meetings to ensure proper measures are in place for a child. At the end of the day, my students are my priority when it comes to my business. Since my students are my priority, I have to run my business effectively. Sometimes that means making a decision such as moving to accepting a certain form of payment. It’s just been part of my learning curve going from a school atmosphere to a business.

ALL my students deserve the best version of me. I deserve the best version of me. We all do our best when we are at our best. I have to set appropriate limits to run a business smoothly, which gives me enough time for highly diagnostic-prescriptive one-on-one individualized lesson plans and all the behind-the-scenes work that isn’t readily apparent.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

There hasn’t been one strategy for me. Part of it has to do with this being my calling and area of expertise. This lends itself naturally to having many happy clients, which leads to word of mouth. Word of mouth is powerful. A fantastic colleague recommended me to individuals when I first began my business, so networking is an effective tool. I also credit my website for bringing clientele. I created the website with Squarespace, hired a freelancer to with SEO (search engine optimization) expertise, and learned a little bit along the way myself.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.houstondyslexia.com